Better Than the Beast
by Shelly Lane
Summary: Adam describes some of his experiences during the spell, but continues on to discuss what life is like with a castle full of smart aleck servants. Yes, there are some creative liberties involving historical accuracy, but there are also several in the actual movies. "Beau" and "Amandine" are OC's: the children Adam and Belle had after their marriage. Disney and Beaumont own all.
1. The Wolves Arrive

**Les Loups Arrivent**

Once upon a time, about the time I was in my tenth or eleventh year, I made the worst mistake of my life. Until then, life had been wonderful. I was the future king, and I lived in a fine castle in the middle of a beautiful forest. Even though my parents were too busy ruling the kingdom to raise me themselves, servants brought me everything I desired. Who could ask for a better life?

Then I had to ruin everything. What does it take to ruin one's entire life? Just one thoughtless decision!

No, I suppose that is not entirely true. I'd made a lot of other bad decisions. Turning away the enchantress was just the final straw. I suppose I deserved everything I got. Maybe if I'd made smarter decisions, I wouldn't have had the past come back and bite me on the arm, so to speak.

For example, I wasn't being too intelligent the day I hired my first forest worker. The town beggars' son was in my woodland, and I ordered his execution, even though I was still a child, and he was not much older than I was. His sister appeared from out of nowhere and convinced me to spare her brother's life if he would become one of my servants. Since he had invaded my forest, his job would be to take care of it.

"Tell me your name, servant!" I ordered after I had taken him to my castle.

He bowed. "_Je m'appelle Loup_."

I frowned. "'Loup'?! What kind of a name is that?!"

"It was supposed to be 'Louis,'" he explained, "but my twin sister was to be named 'Louvre,' and there was a mistake when we were christened. She was named 'Louve,' so everyone assumed my name was…"

"I don't care!" I interrupted. "It's a fitting name for one who works in the forest!" Flinging open a closet, I found a wolf skin and tossed it at him. "See if you can make yourself a coat or something from this! I'm not going to provide a wardrobe for you! It's bad enough that you'll be wanting some sort of wages!" I stared at his bare feet. "I'm not getting shoes for you either! You'll have to find a way to get them yourself!"

He humbly thanked me for the pelt.

"I don't care what you do in the forest now," I continued. "Chop down trees, pick berries, go fishing, chase rabbits like the _loup_ you are, build a hovel in the clearing, or whatever! As long as no one comes through the forest to attack me and no wild animals bite me, I'll know you're doing your job. Just don't let anyone enter my forest! If you see any invaders, you are to kill them, no exceptions!"

Loup blinked in disbelief. "_Kill _them, master?"

"That's what I said!" I retorted. "Do not question me! If anyone is in my forest without my permission, that person must die! I don't care if it's an old man! I don't care if it's a peasant woman! All must perish! Throw them to the wolves! Understand?!"

"Here's hoping the wolves have better luck than I do," he muttered under his breath.

"What did you say?!" I demanded.

"I said I will do as you command, master." He bowed again.

I ordered Cogsworth to take Loup to meet the rest of the servants. At the time, I believed that was the end of the conversation. If I had known that in the future, I would meet with Loup in the forest one night while he was attempting to execute my command, I would never have…

Anyway, Loup eventually hired more people to help him take care of the forest, and he invited his sister, Louve, to join them. She was his equal both in authority and responsibility, a bit unusual for a woman. I was surprised the first time I saw her, for she wore men's clothing, saying it was more practical for forest work and she could do her job better if she didn't have to worry about tripping over the hem of a dress. She also claimed that in the future, more women would wear shirts and trousers instead of dresses.

I usually had no time for my forest workers. I was too occupied making sure the servants who worked indoors were doing their jobs.

Cogsworth was pompous and arrogant. He liked strolling around the castle and acting important, almost as if he were the prince, but I didn't mind. When one of the servants had a problem, they complained to Cogsworth or Mrs. Potts, and I didn't have to be bothered.

Lumière was more interested in beautiful ladies than he was in doing his work. If he ever stopped flirting with them, it was only long enough to get into an argument with Cogsworth.

Everyone liked Mrs. Potts. She was a clever a woman, always knowing when to speak a word of encouragement and when to use sharper tones to show that she meant business. Her son, Chip, was a curious child, but he generally stayed out of trouble.


	2. The Beast's Christmas

**Noël de la Bête **

That Christmas started out like any other. The forest workers announced that they were going to decorate their tree with live birds. None of the other servants understood what they meant until they scattered seeds among the branches of some of the evergreens in the forest. When the birds came to eat the seeds, they seemed to decorate the trees like colorful ornaments, but at the time, I didn't care, for I was too spoiled and selfish to appreciate any form of beauty.

While the forest workers were doing their chores in the woods, the servants who worked inside the castle presented my presents. What a fool I was! Lumière offered me a book, and Forte had composed a musical piece in my honor, but I didn't appreciate either. Looking back, I realize I should have been honored by such gifts.

Hearing a knock, I stormed to the castle door to see who dared to interrupt my Christmas. When I saw an ugly old woman begging for shelter, I turned her away. Why did she think I needed a rose anyway?! I was the prince, the future king! If I had ever wanted a rose for some reason, I could easily have gotten a dozen. Besides, she was hideous.

We all know what happened next. Needless to say, it was a long time before the servants forgave me. My elegant castle became as gloomy as a dungeon, and my woodland seemed dark and foreboding.

I didn't sleep well that night. I couldn't get used to the feeling of being wrapped in fur. When I finally managed to doze off, I was awakened by a cruel sound, as if the forest itself burned with the dark anger of pure hatred.

"What is that sound?!" I seized the mirror the enchantress had given me. "Show me what's causing that noise!"

The mirror showed me an area near the castle gate where large, gray dogs were snarling. Then one of the animals howled. It was a mournful sound, piercing the night as if a lost soul cried out in anguish.

This was impossible! How could there be wolves in my forest?!

When I told the servants about it the next day, they assured me that no harm would come of it. Wolves were actually beneficial for the environment, and unless rabid or provoked, they never attacked humans. Assured that there was no danger, I gave the wolves no further thought until an old man came to my castle about ten years later.

I'm sorry to say I had never been a gracious host, and spending a decade as a monster hadn't exactly improved my mood, so I threw my visitor in the dungeon.


	3. The Beautiful Peasant

**La Belle Paysanne**

Not long afterwards, I thought I heard a woman's voice in the castle. I wasn't expecting company, so I went to see who was sneaking around my home without my permission. When I reached the dungeon, I saw that a young woman was talking to my prisoner.

"What are you doing here?!" I demanded.

She begged me to free the old man, apparently her father, and allow her to take his place as my prisoner. I must admit her bargain caught me off guard. I had never before heard of anyone volunteering to suffer in another's place. Was this a form of love, that complicated emotion that I was supposed to learn if I didn't want to be a beast forever?

I considered it. The rose had already begun to wilt. I was running out of time, and here was a girl. Maybe she wasn't what I had in mind for a soul mate, but she would have to do. Whether I liked it or not, she was my last chance. That being, I released her father and allowed her to stay in his place.

As I was leaving the dungeon, Lumière suggested that I give the girl a more comfortable room. I was a bit irritated at having to cater to someone else's needs, but I showed her to a guest room.

"Say something to her!" Lumière whispered.

I had no idea what to say. I wasn't used to having guests, and it wasn't like I could tell the girl that I needed her to fall in love with me because if she didn't, my father might find a new heir for the throne. Besides, I was getting the feeling that she didn't really like me.

I finally managed to tell her, "I hope you like it here."

Alright, maybe that wasn't the most intelligent thing to say. I had just made her a prisoner in the most dismal castle in Europe. Why on earth would she like it?

Lumière gestured for me to say something else. I tried to think of what would make the girl happy. After all, if she wasn't happy, she wouldn't ever try to love me. However, I had no idea what to say to impress a woman. (Apparently, I'm not the only man who's ever had that problem, but that's another story.)

I told Belle that the castle was her home, so she could go anywhere except the West Wing. She started to ask what was there, and I told her it was forbidden.

What was with this woman?! I had just given her permission to visit any room in my castle, and all I had asked was that she avoid one part of it, for that was my personal space. Was that really too much to ask?!

When we finally reached the room she would be using, I told her that if she needed anything, my servants would attend her.

"Dinner," Lumière whispered. "Invite her to dinner."

I was getting a bit tired of this, but I ordered the girl to join me for dinner. Now that I think about it, I probably should have either tried asking politely or just brought some food to her room. To make a long story short, she refused to dine with me, and we ended up having another argument. (I have since learned that arguing with Belle is pointless; she always manages to win, so quarreling with her is just a waste of time for both of us.)

Frustrated, I told the mirror to show me the girl. When I heard her say that she wanted nothing to do with me, I realized I had just been fooling myself. She would never see me as anything but a monster. It was hopeless.

(I later found out that my servants gave her a full course meal that evening while I was sulking in the West Wing. If I had found out about it at the time, the castle would have been filled with the sound of breaking furniture and household objects, but now I'm glad that Belle didn't go hungry that night.)

I stepped onto the balcony for only a moment. When I returned inside, I noticed that Belle was about to touch the enchanted rose.

Alright, I admit I shouldn't have lost my temper. After all, she didn't know she could have accidentally sentenced me to life as a beast forever. At the time, I was just thinking that she had no right to be in the West Wing. I'd told her she was allowed to wander the rest of the castle and given her authority over my servants, so why was she in my room?

The bottom line is that she fled in fear. When I heard the castle door open, I had a feeling she wouldn't be returning any time soon. Ashamed of myself for my outburst and losing the chance of earning her love, I asked the mirror to show me where Belle was. I thought if I could find her, perhaps I could find a way to apologize and convince her to stay with me.

When I saw what was happening, I nearly swore, catching myself just in time as I remembered that I must not use such language if I ever expected to become a gentleman. Belle had ridden her horse into the forest and was being attacked by wolves. I realized that if I wanted a second chance with her, I would have to fight for her life.

I should have grabbed a weapon. I should have gotten some armor. What I'm trying to say is that fighting an entire pack of wolves with nothing but one's bare hands has got to be the _worst_ idea that _anyone_ has _ever_ had! (Well, I guess in my case, it was the second-worst idea. The absolute worst idea I'd ever had was turning away an enchantress.)

A wolf weighs between forty-five to one hundred seventy-five pounds. Multiply that by at least a dozen and make sure to remember that each wolf has forty-two teeth, including two pairs of fangs measuring two inches long. Then each animal has eighteen claws, each about an inch long. Wolf packs are known to be very efficient when it comes to overpowering large beasts.

I felt like I had been hit by a carriage…a lot of carriages actually, all of them filled with swords, lances, daggers, flails, maces, and every other sharp weapon imaginable.

I don't mind admitting that I was afraid. I knew what would happen if the wolves could keep me on the ground for more than a few seconds. Somehow, I had to push against the crushing weight that pinned me and the sharp agony that dug into my arms and shoulders.

Finally I managed to rise to my hands and feet. I was on all fours, being torn apart by a pack of wolves, just as an animal would be. Who would guess this mauled creature was the future king?

Just when I was sure death was inevitable, I managed to throw one of the wolves against a tree, knocking him unconscious. The others ran off into the forest, and it's a good thing too. If the fight had lasted any longer, I would have been defeated.

Perhaps I lost adrenaline. Perhaps the pain and blood loss were too much for me to handle. For whatever reason, my strength suddenly vanished, and I collapsed helplessly as I was trying to form a proper apology.

It was over. Belle was going to leave me lying there for the wolves to finish off as soon as they returned. She was free to leave now.

Feeling a sudden warmth, I managed to look up and noticed she had wrapped her own cloak around me.

"Can you stand?"

Was she kidding? If I could stand, why would I be lying on the ground? I would have told her as much, but I was too occupied with excruciating agony combined with extreme fatigue.

Belle made her horse kneel in front of me, helping me place my arms over him.

I will not describe the humiliation of being slung over a horse's back like a bag of vegetables. At the time, I didn't care. All I wanted to do was get out of the forest before the wolves returned, noticed how weak I was, and finished the job. As long as I returned to my castle safely, I could have cared less how I got there.

Some of my servants helped me to my favorite chair. What happened next is a subject of controversy to this day. Half of the servants say that Belle cleaned my wounds as gently as she could, and there was no excuse for me behaving like a child. The others say that Belle was still slightly vexed over the previous events of the evening, such as imprisoning her father and ordering her to dinner, so she wasn't about to miss the opportunity to execute some sort of vengeance by increasing the pain of my injuries. However, every last servant agrees that it was the most entertainment they'd had in years.

Whatever her motive may have been, I wasn't exactly having the time of my life when she dressed the wounds. I felt as if my entire arm was on fire. (Belle claimed that she only used warm water and a mild antiseptic, but it felt more like salted lemon juice.) Needless to say, we had yet another argument.

Realizing that I was never going to win any sort of debate, I let her continue to torture me…or continue to help me, depending on the point of view of whichever of my servants may be reading this.

"By the way, thank you for saving my life."

Her words caught me by surprise. I'd never used "please" or "thank you," tending to prefer "Get on with it!" or "It's about time!" It sort of surprised me that Belle would use polite words with me, especially since they seemed to be sincere. She was talking to me as if I were somewhat of a person instead of just an animal or a monster.

Oh! I should respond! Now was my chance to show her that I knew how to have polite conversation and that there was some reason she should like me! What was the proper response to "thank you"? What did the servants say when one of them thanked the other?

Who was I kidding? The servants usually said something sarcastic when one of them thanked the other!

Still, I was sure I'd heard the phrase before. What was it? Could it be…?

"You're welcome."

Yes! That was it! I'd said it! I'd actually used manners when somebody said a polite phrase to me!

As I looked into her eyes, something came over me. I couldn't understand Belle. She was a strange woman, every bit as stubborn as I was and able to match my temper, not to mention she seemed to think rules applied only when it was convenient. However, for some reason I couldn't understand, I somehow felt glad that the wolves hadn't killed her. There was something about her that made me feel happy that she was alive, and I realized I had actually meant it when I said, "You're welcome."

All my life, I'd felt I was heartless, but now I knew that somewhere within the depths of my being, I had a heart, albeit a small one. I could feel it pounding when Belle smiled at me.


	4. I Love Her

**Je L'aime**

Watching her stroll around the grounds of the castle the next day, I felt strange. I'd never felt this way about anyone. I wanted to do something for her, but what?

When I asked my servants for advice, Lumière suggested that I place Belle in charge of the castle library. It seemed simple enough. Belle would be living at the castle anyway, and although the servants cleaned the room, no one was ever in the library for very long. Since no one else was using it, Belle might as well have it.

I'll never forget the look in her eyes when she saw all those books. She liked it! I had actually done something that made her happy!

Belle agreed to have breakfast with me the next morning. This turned out to be another of my not-so-smart ideas. I had never paid attention to lessons in proper etiquette at the table, and having paws instead of hands wasn't helping the situation. Even though she pretended not to notice, I could tell that my lack of manners was appalling Belle.

No more of this! If she could try not to be offended by me, I could try to learn manners for her. It had been ten years since I held a spoon, not that I'd ever had much use for silverware before the spell, so I wasn't exactly sure how it should be done.

Smiling, Belle raised her bowl. Of course! It was so simple! We would both sip our porridge! I raised mine, silently toasting her, and we enjoyed our breakfast.

After our meal, Belle walked to the window. On impulse, I followed her.

"Look at all the birds!" she remarked. "Aren't they beautiful?"

I'd never thought of birds as being beautiful. They were just something outside, like trees and snow, but if Belle liked the birds, she was going to see them up close.

"Would you like to feed them?" I offered.

Yet again, this didn't turn out to be the most intelligent thing I'd ever said. We found some seeds to give the birds, but there was a problem. The birds were scared featherless of me…metaphorically speaking, of course.

Belle finally scattered a trail of seeds to my paws. I was surprised when a bird began eating from my palm, but I was even more amazed at how Belle had been acting. I thought I saw that she had glanced in my direction, and when we touched, she hadn't shuddered at my paw. It couldn't be! I decided I should just ignore it, but then she'd never looked at me that way before.

Those birds must have thought I was a statue or something. They perched all over my head and arms. What a strange life I had! Only a few nights ago, I had proven myself more powerful than wolves. Now I was becoming so gentle that even birds trusted me.

That's not to say that everything was suddenly perfect. Belle and I still had a long way to go. We had more than our share of arguments when I exiled three servants on the charge of forgery, but as always, she won. I forgave the servants and welcomed them back to my castle. As if that wasn't enough adventure, Belle decided we should celebrate Christmas, and she was determined to enjoy her holiday celebration with or without my approval. However, for the most part, we were friends.

I was taken off guard the day Belle asked me if I would like to hear a story. I knew books were what she loved more than anything else in the world, so it was an honor for me to be invited to share one with her. Although I enjoyed the story, I was…well, let's just be honest. I was more interested in the fact that Belle was purposely spending time with me than I was in the plot and setting of the book. When she finally reached the end of the last page, I asked if she could read it again. To my surprise, she suggested I read it to her instead.

I'm afraid that as a young child before the spell, I had never paid much attention to my tutors, even though my parents had tried to ensure I would have an education befitting the future king. As a result, I could read simple phrases, such as "Once upon a time, there was a merchant who had three daughters," but I couldn't understand anything other than basic vocabulary, let alone poetic language, nor could I read any foreign languages.

Belle changed that. Little by little, she taught me to enjoy reading and continue to learn as I read. (In fact, her gift to me that Christmas was a book that she had written herself. Coming from her, that meant a lot. After all, what higher compliment or greater gift can an avid reader give than a book written by his or her own hand? I still have the book, by the way. I keep it in the West Wing.)

Every day, I became more aware of my feelings for Belle. I realized that I had suddenly learned to care about her. I cared about her more than anything in my castle. In fact, I cared about her more than even my own life. If she had asked for the stars, I would have found some way to collect the brightest and most beautiful of all and place them in a necklace that would bring out her eyes.

Not everything was perfect. In fact, one day I realized that the rose had wilted at an alarming rate. The last petal would fall at midnight. This had to be the day I told Belle how I felt. At the suggestion of several servants, I planned a romantic dinner and a dance.

How shall I describe Belle's dress? She looked beautiful in every dress I'd ever seen her wear, but that yellow silk…! I couldn't breathe, and I felt chills all over.

I was terrified when she placed one of my paws on her waist before we danced. It was almost like I was embracing her. I'd never held anyone, not even the dog and cat who lived in the castle. Even though I was nervous, I could have danced with her all night.

Finally, I asked the question I had been dreading to hear answered. "Belle, are you…happy here with me?"

"Yes."

For a moment, I thought everything was perfect. Then I noticed that she seemed a bit sad, so I asked what was wrong. When she explained that she was missing her father, I let her use the magic mirror to see him, but he was sick and lost in the woods (never a good combination).

Even though I knew I was condemning myself to life as a beast forever, I couldn't bear to see Belle unhappy, so I released her. I would never see her again, but I gave her the mirror in case she ever wanted to remember me.

The next few hours were dismal for me. In fact, I barely noticed when my castle was attacked. Some _abruti_ was trying to force Belle to marry him, _le pauvre type_, even if that meant getting rid of me. Once more, I was fighting for my life, unaccepted by both the animal and the human worlds.

Amid the crisis, I noticed something wonderful. Belle had returned! The invaders were vanquished, and the woman I loved was back in my life! It might have been a happy ending if I hadn't died.


	5. The End of the Spell

**La Fin de le Charme**

Alright, so maybe I just lost consciousness and wasn't really dead, but I wasn't worried about the minor details. All that mattered to me was that Belle loved me and the spell was over! My servants and I were all human again!

I embraced each of my servants in turn. The castle was filled with laughter and mirth, but suddenly, everyone became silent. Through the doors walked the forest workers that I had forgotten I once hired. Louve seemed unable to use one of her arms, and Loup could barely walk due to a fractured leg.

I smiled at them. "It's wonderful to see you again! Without your protection, the forest has become a haven for wolves!" I pushed up my sleeve, revealing the scars on my arm.

A strange look came over Loup's face.

"How did you break your leg?" I asked gently.

"It's been that way ever since I can remember," he replied.

I would have asked about Louve's arm, but I thought if they didn't want to tell me how they got their injuries, it was none of my business.

"It's going to be great doing official forest work again!" one of their employees remarked. "I can't remember the last time I climbed a tree or used a sword properly!"

"None of that until we're sure your fractures have healed properly," answered Louve.

I raised my eyebrows slightly. "Why is nearly every one of my forest workers talking about fractures?"

"They were injured during a wolf attack," Loup explained.

"Well, you must tell me about it sometime." I lightly gripped his shoulder before continuing on my way to converse with my other servants.

His reaction sort of surprised me. He had nearly flinched…as if he had expected me to throw him against a tree or slam him against the ground…as if I were an enraged beast he had just wounded instead of his own master wishing him well…as if something about my scarred arm had caused his broken leg.

Although they had my sympathy, I'm afraid I didn't have time to think about my forest workers. I had to make sure everything was in order, for now that I was a human being once more, it was my duty to assume the responsibilities of a prince.


	6. My Wedding

**Ma Mariage**

As everyone already knows, I did eventually ask Belle to marry me. I would like to say it was extremely romantic. I knelt before her as we stood under the stars on the West Wing balcony. Using the most tender words I knew, I told her how much she meant to me and how I loved her and would do everything within my power to make her happy. I then kissed her hand and slipped a ring on her finger as I asked her if she would give me the highest honor in all Europe. I would like to say that's how the proposal happened, but it wouldn't be true.

When I realized that I would need a ring to offer Belle, I summoned the royal goldsmith and the royal jeweler and told them exactly how the ring should look. They were delighted at the idea, but I told them not to tell anyone.

Half an hour later, almost everyone in the castle knew. Before another fifteen minutes had gone by, there wasn't a servant who didn't know that I was about to ask Belle if she would be my wife. Not ten minutes afterwards, Belle asked me if we could talk alone in the library.

"What is it?" I queried gently once we were alone among the books.

"Adam, why does everyone think you're about to propose to me?"

I slapped my forehead and dragged my hand down my face. "I was going to wait until a more romantic time before we discussed this, but as the servants have already broken the news…" I knelt. "I was never good as a master or a prince, or even as a human being, until I met you. Will you be the new master of this castle and France's future queen?"

She looked as if she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Finally, she embraced me.

"Of course I'll marry you!"

I took her in my arms and kissed her. However, I was still intent on teaching the servants not to publicize information before its time, so at dinner, I announced that Belle had refused.

The looks on their faces…! To this day, I still laugh whenever I think about it.

When dukes and barons began arriving at the castle a few weeks later, I informed the servants that Belle truly was to be their new master; I had only been teaching them a lesson about sharing information without permission from involved parties.

"Remember to treat all nobility and aristocracy with utmost respect," I concluded. "I will not have you offending those who have taken time from their busy lives to celebrate my marriage."

In the days leading up to the wedding, several of the guests began to complain that the Duke of Sagacity was forcing them to cater to his every whim, and the duke's personal servant was the most irritating man in France. Wishing there to be peace among all my guests, I went to speak with the Duke of Sagacity. Imagine my surprise when I discovered this "duke" was La Plume, one of my own servants, dressed like a noble!

I stared in disbelief. "Have you been giving orders to those you should be serving?!"

"I did not mean to be insolent, _Votre Majesté_," he began, "but Webster reminded me that you have so many servants that you cannot possibly remember us all. He told me that he thought if one of us dressed and acted the part of an aristocrat or a nobleman, you would never notice the difference. I merely wished to test his theory so I pretended to be a duke, and he acted the part of my servant."

To be honest, I didn't know whether to laugh or throw La Plume in the dungeon.

"Alright," I replied. "You've enjoyed your joke."

"I will return to my regular duties now," he stated before I could say any more.

The servants weren't finished with their plans to ruin my wedding. As Belle walked down the aisle, Maestro Fife and the other musicians began to play an appropriate melody, which came to a sudden stop as they put down their instruments and began singing:

_Look, there she goes;_

_That girl is strange, no question!_

_Dazed and distracted, can't you tell?_

_Never part of any crowd_

'_Cause her head's up on some cloud!_

_No denying she's a funny girl, that Belle!_

_Look, there she goes;_

_That girl is so peculiar!_

_I wonder if she's feeling well._

_With a dreamy far-off look_

_And her nose stuck in a book,_

_What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle!_

At this point, the other servants were laughing too hard for the musicians to continue. Most of the guests were confused by the song. I was embarrassed that my servants would sing such a thing during the wedding, especially since Belle was the one who had freed us all from the curse, but somehow, my bride didn't seem to notice. (One of the many things I have always admired about my wife is the ability she has to be completely oblivious when someone is singing about her.)

After Belle and I were officially pronounced "_mari et femme_," the servants threw rose petals. Rose petals! I wouldn't have minded if they'd thrown rice or the petals of another flower, but after all those years of living with the knowledge of what would happen if the last petal of the enchanted rose fell, the servants threw rose petals at my wedding! (Judging from the looks on their faces, they had planned it that way on purpose.)

It wasn't long after the wedding that I was crowned as the King of France, but that's another story.


	7. My Children

**Mes Enfants**

"Adam, I have something to tell you!"

Belle's eyes were shining, and her smile was more brilliant than ever.

"Please not that!" I thought. "We've only been married for a few months! It's too early for _un bébé_! Besides, I'd be a terrible father! I barely have my own life together! How can I teach a child?"

I smiled. "Yes, Belle?"

"We're going to be parents!" She took my hands in hers. "Isn't that wonderful?!"

"Wonderful" wasn't exactly the word I would have used to describe it, but I wasn't about to admit that.

"That's fantastic!" I lied.

(For the record, I love my children, and I wonder how I ever found happiness in life without them. I was just very nervous when my wife broke the news, but it didn't take me long to start looking forward to meeting my new son or daughter.)

The servants had no end to the jokes at my expense. Maestro Fife always commented that if the baby was a boy, we should name him "Gaston."

When the big day arrived, I paced every corridor in the castle more times than I could count. Would Belle and the baby be alright? Was I truly ready to be a parent? After what seemed like an eternity, the midwife approached me, holding a squirming bundle wrapped in a blanket.

"_Mon seigneur_," she began, "Her Majesty has given France a healthy heir. She needs her rest now, but all is well with her. Behold the heir to the French throne."

I stared at the baby she had placed in my arms. For the past several months, I had imagined what it would be like to hold my own child for the first time, but this was nothing like I had expected. To be honest, I was disappointed.

The baby was covered in fur and had a long snout. Its ears were pricked on top of its head, and it had beady eyes, very small tusks, and hooves instead of hands.

I didn't understand. The spell had been broken. Why hadn't my baby been born human?

Trying to hide how I was feeling, I carried the baby into the room where the servants were waiting and told them to greet their new master. All of them bowed graciously.

"You seem disappointed, _maître_," Lumière commented. "Don't you care for your own child? You should love your baby unconditionally. Is it the child's fault that it was born looking like a beast?"

I felt ashamed of myself, but I still couldn't help wishing my baby was human. Cradling the infant, I went to see Belle.

"What do you think, Papa?" she asked proudly. "Have you ever seen anything more beautiful in your entire life?"

I'd seen all kinds of things that were more beautiful, but I wasn't about to say that in front of my wife.

"Words fail me," I answered, lightly kissing her.

She frowned. "Adam, what's that your holding?"

"Our child," I answered.

"Is this your idea of a joke?!"

"Not at all."

Belle looked confused. "We have both a daughter and a son! Human babies! Why are you holding a baby wild boar?!"

"A wild boar?" I stared at the creature in my arms. "This isn't our baby?"

"Of course not! How could you even think that?!"

"Would you excuse me for a moment?"

I carried the young boar into the room where the servants had gathered. When they saw me, they all started laughing.

Cogsworth explained that nearly everyone in the castle had helped plan the joke. The dungeon might have been extremely full that day if I hadn't finally seen my own babies. One look at them, and nothing else mattered.


	8. The Confession

**L'aveu**

The next few years that passed were wonderful. Amandine and Beau, the heirs to my kingdom, grew from infancy to childhood. I still had to put up with sarcasm from my servants, but that was nothing new.

However, there was still one problem. Neither Loup's fractured leg nor Louve's broken arm had ever healed. I felt a pang of guilt every time Loup tripped down the stairs, his hazel eyes turning a shade of amber. Every Christmas, when we passed around the Yule Log, Louve would wish that her brother would walk properly again someday, even if she lost the use of her other arm, and when Loup's turn came to make his wish, he would wish that Louve would be able to use her arm once more, even if it meant he became completely lame. I wished there was something I could do for them, but I couldn't think of any way to help.

One day, they announced that we needed to talk, so I invited them into the West Wing and allowed them to sit in my most comfortable chairs.

"What's wrong, _mes amis_?" I asked gently.

Louve took her brother's hand.

"There's a story I should have told you long ago," Loup began, "but I was afraid. I didn't want to hurt you…at least not anymore than I already have. The two of you are so happy together, masters, and what fine parents you make! How could I ruin that by opening old wounds?"

I noticed that his gaze was resting on the scars on my right arm.

"Whatever it is, we'll talk it out," Belle promised.

"You used to be afraid to walk alone in the forest at night," replied Loup, "and you have every right to be. You were sat upon by wolves."

"That would be '_set_ upon,'" Louve corrected. "'Sat upon' is something entirely different."

He turned to his sister. "Do you mind?!"

"No need to get your hackles up!" She grinned somewhat mischievously. "I didn't mean to rub your fur the wrong way, but I can't resist a biting remark every now and then."

Ignoring her, Loup continued his explanation to Belle. "For some reason, however, you have no fear of the forest now. It is because you trust us. You trust that there will be no wolf attacks as long as my men and I are on duty. You do not understand how greatly I have failed you, for I…" He cleared his throat. "I can't. I just can't say it."

"Tell the masters, Loup!" ordered Louve.

"Let me tell you a story," he began, addressing me. "When I was first hired, Your Majesty commanded me to kill all who invaded the forest, no exceptions. To this day, none of your forest workers, myself included, have ever murdered anyone, but there was one night when we came close. It started when an old man got lost in the woods. We didn't want to hurt him, but we had no choice. _Le prince_ commands, and _les domestiques_ obey. It's that simple."

I was beginning to get an uneasy feeling, but I said nothing.

"We chased the poor gentleman through the forest…to your castle, _maître_."

"You didn't care for visitors at the time," Louve added, "so I did attempt to pull him back through the gate. I would have grabbed him by the shoulders, but his ankle was all I could reach."

"He got away," Loup concluded, "but not long afterwards, we saw a young peasant in the woods. I didn't want to harm her, but like I said, I had been ordered to kill all invaders, no exceptions, so I told my employees that she had to die."

"That was when I broke my arm," his sister commented. "Philippe has quite a powerful kick!"

"Louve wasn't involved in the fight, but the rest of us were. We had the peasant surrounded…and then this beast came, and he started trying to kill us all! He broke my leg after I wounded his right arm."

Suddenly I understood. Why hadn't I realized it years ago?! It was obvious! My household servants had become household objects, so the servants who worked in my forest would have been transformed into creatures of the woodland. Besides, Mrs. Potts had turned into a teapot. Lumière had been a type of light. Fife had been a musical instrument. By the logic, Loup would have…

"You were the wolves, weren't you?" I asked incredulously.

"Can you ever forgive me for attacking you?" He stood and tried to bow, but as usual, he ended up falling over.

Making sure to use my right arm to show I carried no grudge or mistrust, I extended a hand to help him to his feet.

"Loup, _cher ami_, I am the one who must ask you forgiveness," I answered. "I am the one who ordered you to do such an awful thing. Your only crime is miscommunication while trying to obey your master. It is the sign of a good servant. Furthermore, the wounds on my arm stopped hurting only days after our confrontation, but you have lived in constant pain for years. I only meant to stop you from harming Belle, not maim you for life. I have been too harsh, and now there is no way I can undo the damage I've caused."

"I am grateful to you for such damage," he responded, "for you saved the life of the woman who spared everyone in the castle from a fate worse than death. I'd rather be a human with one good leg than a wolf with four."

Loup and his sister did eventually regain the use of their fractured limbs. (I'm still not entirely sure how, but it happened after Loup realized he was in love with Lisette, _ma cousine_. Never underestimate the power of a first kiss.)


	9. The Quarrels

**Les Querelles**

I didn't usually interfere when Cogsworth and Lumière bickered. It was just a way of life at the castle. Certain as the sun rose in the east every morning, Lumière and Cogsworth would find something to fight about. However, one day they quarreled even more than usual, and I decided I'd had enough. Many of my servants had been taking everything for granted lately, and the squabbling was the final straw.

"I am convinced that most of us have forgotten to be grateful for our blessings," I announced during dinner one evening. "I think it would be good if we lived more like peasants for a while. It would remind us how much better our lives are than those of many people. It would teach us what is truly important in life. For the next few days, we will eat only what we buy from the nearby towns with our own money or what we can find in the forest. We will wear simple clothing, and we will all share in the responsibilities of chores."

There was definitely a mixed reaction. For some of the servants, this was no different than their usual way of life. For others, the idea of living this way was appalling.

"Furthermore," I continued, "I have arranged for us to stay with peasant families in exchange for assistance with their chores and a little pay. We leave tomorrow evening."

The chefs did not prepare breakfast the next morning. Finally, the servants realized that if they wanted to eat, they'd have to find their own food.

"How about game?" suggested Cogsworth. "We could kill a deer, snare a few rabbits, and maybe get a duck."

Several of the other servants went out to the forest with him and began placing snares. This turned out to be a mistake. They had only been in the woods for a few minutes when the forest workers discovered them.

"You can't leave your snares here," one stated. "This area of forest has several _renards_, which eat _les lapins_. If you kill too many rabbits here, the foxes go hungry and move to other locations in the forest, and animals there would be affected. You could ruin an entire ecosystem."

Frustrated, the servants went elsewhere to try killing a deer. Again, they were discovered.

"Not here!" One of my forest workers gestured to the surrounding area. "You're on the border. Right now, you're still on the masters' property, but if you go anywhere past these points, you'd be in a different forest, one that we don't patrol. There are wolves in that woodland. Fortunately, there's a high population of deer in this area, so the wolves don't bother us, but if you massacre the deer, the wolves will have to search elsewhere, which means coming into the masters' forest. The masters have young children. Do you think they want any wolves around here? They're generally harmless, but a provoked or rabid wolf could cause problems, especially if there's an entire pack."

Realizing they weren't going to find any game, Lumière suggested to the other servants that they go fishing.

"Go somewhere else to fish!" a forest worker exclaimed.

Without waiting for an explanation, they came and complained to me that they weren't being allowed to get food.

"Why don't you ask them for help?" I replied.

La Plume stared in disbelief. "Ask the _wolves_?!"

"Anyone who spent a decade as a wolf would know how to find food in a forest," I answered. "You know whether or not you are hungry."

Reluctantly, the servants trudged back into the forest.

Cogsworth frowned. "Do you smell a soufflé?"

"Not to mention beef ragout," added Lumière.

As they came into a clearing, they saw the forest workers feasting on a variety of dishes, the ingredients having been taken from the castle.

"The masters have ordered us to eat only what we found in the forest or purchased in town," Cogsworth reminded them.

"We did find it in the forest!" one remarked. "Louve got it from the kitchen and cooked it. Then she told us all to close our eyes and count to _vingt_, and when we opened them, we saw plates of food on a nearby stump. The stump is in the forest, and that's where we found our meal, so we are eating what we have found in the forest."

"Can we eat? Please?" begged La Plume.

Loup shrugged. "You found us, so the food with us is what you have found in the forest. You may eat if you can convince Lumière to do his 'Be Our Guest' routine."

Having no choice, Lumière began singing.

"With the dance!" put in Louve.

Lumière frowned, but as he and the other servants were hungry, he started dancing. A few of the forest workers were too polite to react to his performance, but several howled with laughter (if they will forgive me for using that expression). However, they did allow the other servants to share their meal.

As soon as we arrived in town that evening, Angelique began singing:

_Little town,_

_It's a quiet village_

_Every day_

_Like the one before…_

The whole village stared at her like she had lost her mind, especially when some of the other servants started singing with her. As if that wasn't bad enough, Maestro Fife began another song as soon as they had finished:

_No one plots like Gaston_

_Takes cheap shots like Gaston_

_Likes to persecute harmless crackpots like Gaston_

_So his marriage we soon will be celebrating_

_My, what a guy!_

_Gaston!_

The other servants thought it was hilarious, but I didn't. (Neither did Belle, I'm sure.)

"Did you know that Lefou actually married one of those ladies that used to dote on Gaston?" La Plume commented.

"I did," replied Webster. "My best wishes to them for a successful matrimony."

Bidding each other good night, we went to the respective homes where we would be staying. One cottage was large enough to accommodate several of us.

"A successful farm you have," Webster commented.

"_Merci_," the farmer replied. "I used to have a lot more livestock until that wolf came! I shot it twice, once with a bullet to the shoulder, and the other time, I hit it between the ribs with an arrow, but that still didn't stop it! It just kept killing my livestock! No animal was safe! This wolf was more cunning than any human I've ever met! You should have seen the way it outsmarted my wolfhounds!"

Speaking of his wolfhounds, none of them looked too happy to see Louve, who also seemed a bit uneasy.

"My wife's making dinner," the farmer continued. "Everything came from our farm!"

It was a wonderful meal of fresh vegetables, delectable meat dishes, and fine cheeses, but neither Loup nor Louve touched a bite.

"It's alright now," Louve whispered to her brother. "It is freely given this time, not stolen."

He shook his head. "It hurts my tongue. I am reminded of all the times I nearly became an only child just so our friends could eat."

"And I vowed that if the spell was ever broken, I would never again eat a thing that came from this farm, be it animal or plant."

Before going to sleep that evening, Cogsworth told the other servants that he was going to read them a bedtime story. No one cared for that idea until he announced that the book's title was _Prince Adam's Journal_. Needless to say, I put an end to it.

None of the servants were too happy about having to help with chores the next day. Cogsworth and Lumière got into another dispute and started throwing grains of wheat at each other.

"The farmer no doubt needs the wheat for something," Webster reminded them. "You shouldn't waste it like that."

Belle showed me how to help tend the garden. Although it was a bit tiring, the work really wasn't so bad. The hard part was helping the farmer shear his sheep. Having been raised as a peasant, Belle was used to such chores, but I wasn't. In fact, I had a new respect for everyone who had not been born with the proverbial silver spoon in their mouths.

By the end of the day, the servants had learned to set aside their differences and work together, so we returned to the castle the next morning.


	10. Merry Christmas

******Joyeux Noël**

I was relaxing in my favorite chair when Amandine climbed into my lap.

"___Demain_ is Christmas, Papa!" she announced.

"That's right." I kissed the top of her head. "Why don't you and your brother go make sure the servants have plenty of Christmas spirit?"

She smiled and went to find Beau.

"Do you have Christmas spirit?" Beau asked Lumière.

"Of course," he replied. "The other servants and I are going to build a snow beast! That always fills all our hearts with holiday cheer!"

Amandine frowned. "Don't you mean a snowman?"

"Come. I will show you."

To my chagrin, the servants began teaching my children how to build a snowman in the shape of a monster that looked like I did during the spell.

Angelique touched a piece of cloth to the snow beast's arm. "If you'd hold still, it wouldn't hurt as much! If you hadn't frightened me, I wouldn't have run away! You should learn to control your temper!" She smiled at the sculpture. "By the way, thank you for saving my life."

The servants laughed.

"_Remettez-vous au travail!_" I ordered.

Although they would rather have used the snow beast to make jokes at my expense all day, the servants obeyed and got back to work. Meanwhile, my children were still on a quest to make sure everyone was feeling the spirit of Christmas.

"Will you sing us a Christmas carol?" they begged Maestro Fife.

"Which one?" he asked.

"How about the one about bells that jingle?" Beau suggested.

Fife thought a moment and began:

___Dashing through the snow_

___To the horse's frightened neigh,_

___Through the woods I go,_

___Fighting all the way._

___Belle was in the West Wing,_

___And self-control I lack,_

___So though I'm France's future king,_

___I face a wolf attack!_

___Saving Belle, saving Belle_

___I'm saving her life_

___How I pray_

___She will someday_

___Agree to be my wife…_

"You're about three seconds away from snow down the back of the shirt," Loup warned.

"Oh, let him be!" Louve argued. "It is kind of catchy."

She smiled and began her own version:

___Dashing through the woods,_

___Leaving marks on the Beast's hide_

___I've been up to no good_

___Attempting regicide!_

That was too much for Loup. He began chasing her through the castle, and although Louve is one of the fastest people in France, no one outruns Loup. He soon caught her and dragged her outside.

"Any last words?" he asked.

"You forget I fight better than the beast," Louve replied.

"Don't you mean 'better than the best'?"

"___Non_." She wriggled out of his grasp. "I meant if you try cramming snow down the back of my shirt, you're going to suffer the same fate. I'm not ___le maître_, you know."

Loup nodded. "Alright, I guess I'll spare you. It is Christmas Eve, after all."

I ignored their rivalry. Like most siblings, those two tease each other a great deal, but neither means any actual harm.

The other servants were singing their usual version of "Deck the Halls":

___Deck the halls with boughs of holly_

___There must be much, much more holly_

'___Tis the season to be jolly_

___Wait. What's this? There's too much holly_

___Don we now our bright apparel_

___No, no, no, no more mistletoe_

They've been singing it that way ever since the first Christmas after we became human again. Then there's La Plume's version, which starts out: "Wreck the halls with bouts of folly," but that's a different story.

Angelique had been busy all week, making sure the castle was properly decorated for the Yuletide season. As Mrs. Potts always say, there is no more beautiful place in the world than our castle during Christmas. However, even the joy of the holiday and the beauty of the festive decorations failed to bring peace to the castle.

As usual, Cogsworth and Lumière were bickering. Mrs. Potts scolded them both, saying that Cogsworth should be celebrating his infant daughter's first Christmas rather than fighting with Lumière, who will also be a parent in the coming year.

"Where's mine?" Louve asked her brother.

He frowned. "Where's what?"

"I shall never be a parent," she explained, "so I want to be an aunt. I want my own baby to cuddle and kiss and rock to sleep."

"Shouldn't my wife get a say in this?" queried Loup.

"Have you asked her about it yet?"

He nearly chuckled. "Yes, we've talked about it. She says there must be something in the water, and you'll get your wish this summer. I didn't tell you until now because I thought it would be a nice Christmas surprise for you, ___Tante Louve_."

Louve spent the rest of the day saying, "I'm going to be an aunt!" after every single one of her sentences.

Later that evening, Beau came to talk to me. "Maman was singing about a night that was silent."

"Was she?"

"What does 'silent night' mean?" he inquired.

I sighed. "Around here, not much."

"The servants sing a song called 'On the first day of Christmas… you've got to be kidding me!'"

"Knowing the servants, I don't doubt it."

"If you want to see a silent night, ___mon prince_, you should visit the forest," Louve remarked as she walked by.

"We'll all go," I told him.

As Louve left the room, I heard her whisper in disbelief for the three hundredth time that evening, "I'm going to be an aunt!"

Belle and I took both children into the woods. Everything was calm, bright, and still with the full moon shining on the newly fallen snow, which covered the evergreens like a blanket.

How was it possible that it was on Christmas years ago that I became a monster? Now I was with my wife and children. I must have changed more than I realized.

I enjoyed the serene feeling until we returned to the castle, and I noticed that all the servants were standing around quietly, grinning at me. This is never a good sign because it usually means they're up to something, and this time proved to be no exception, but that's another story.

A Merry Christmas, one and all.


End file.
